We all know that Santa’s sleigh is the most efficient way to deliver freight but of course that can’t happen but once a year. On a serious note, the holidays are a busy time of year for shipping freight and it is the perfect time to review your current shipping regimen to avoid stress during this busy time of year.

Great freight shipping services are about preparation and management.  It is crucial to avoid issues in shipping and those that can’t be avoided are addressed quickly to avoid delays.  This is especially true during peak times when there is an increase in the volume of shipments.  Increases in volume can often lead to challenges that are new and unexpected.  This happens in many businesses not just those shipping freight.

Here are some of the major considerations when shipping from large shipments of freight to small e-commerce shipments.

Historical Freight Trends and Shipping Forecasts

Anyone that has been running a business that ships freight, big or small, should understand the shipping process.  There is no reason to go into a busy shipping season unprepared.  You can prepare yourself by simply looking into previous year’s sales and shipping records and your growth as a business to forecast what they should expect.

Newer companies do not have this luxury.  They have not had the experience a busy holiday season to prepare them for what’s to come.  This can be quite the uphill battle.  New businesses must take into consideration the increase in shipping volumes, the frequency of shipments, and destination delivery expectations.

In order to get a sense for what you can expect, take a look at the busiest time period of your company that you have experienced and prepare yourself for something similar.  Make sure to consider if your goods are something that make a great Christmas gift, if so, the shipping surge could be even greater.  Expect this surge in sales.

Shipping Cutoff Times

Many times, online shoppers can be quite cautious when making purchases during the holiday season to ensure the product will arrive in plenty of time. Make your shipping cut off dates and delivery schedule well known on your website.  Without this information front and center many times buyers will shy away.  Buyers are looking for assurance that their presents will arrive in time for the holiday.

Take time to post your shipping schedule and cut off times on your company’s blog, newsletter, and social media platforms.

Tunnel Vision

Many times, we get caught up in the way things have always been done and are afraid to change.  This occurs all the time between shippers and the way that they ship freight.  Often times the cost of freight is fixed when you use the same freight provider.    It is important not to get stuck in the way that things were always done and instead carefully consider your choices.  You need to evaluate your shipping factors from the size of the shipments including the height, length, width, and weight.  Analyze these factors carefully and make a shipping decision based on all the available options.  What is right for your business may not be what you have always done but in fact could be something new. Choose the shipping option that is best for you.

Online shipping services can enhance your shipping experience.  Take into consideration if the freight carrier you are looking into have online capabilities.  These may include: tracking features, optimization features for both time and money, enhanced productivity, and faster deliveries.

Matrix Transportation is the fastest growing freight transport company in the Midwest, founded in 2009.  As an up and coming industry leader in freight management including shipping, warehousing, and cross docking services with the highest quality transportation solutions for the manufacturing and automotive industries. More information can be found at http://www.matrixtransportation.com/.